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Kaufmann likes RICL ruling
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · February 26, 2015
State Rep. Bobby Kaufmann praised the Iowa Utilities Board for refusing to break one public hearing into two, which he said would force landowners to attend two hearings to protect their property from acquisition by the Rock Island Clean Line.
RICL wants to build electrical transmission lines on 110- to 150-foot poles on a 500-mile path that, in part, passes through the northeast corner of Cedar County. The company has spent the last year trying to sign easement agreements with landowners and, as of December, secured 12 to 13 percent of the contracts.
The IUB on Feb. 13 refused to break the public hearing into two meetings, calling a “significant threat” to the constitutional rights of the remaining landowners. There are 1,540 parcels of land owned by 2,295 people, 87 to 88 percent of whom have yet to sign easement agreements.
Kaufmann issued a statement saying the IUB took a “significant step in protecting Iowa landowners who face having their land pilfered by out-of-state corporations.”
“I am pleased that they did the right thing and stood with Iowans on this issue,” read the statement, issued the day of the IUB ruling. “While this is a victory for ensuring property rights protections in our state, will will not let up on this issue.”
In a Feb. 15 statement, Clean Line Energy Partners, which initiated the RICL project, said that “despite the procedural decision, the fundamental need or the project remains: there is a strong demand for cost-competitive wind energy delivered from northwest Iowa to Illinois.”
“Clean Line is evaluating the decision from the IUB and will continue advancing the Rock Island project to bring low-cost wind energy to the market,” read the statement.
The ruling came one day before Kaufmann, who owns farmland in Wilton, visited West Branch to meet with constituents and told them property rights “are a passion of mine.”
He said that if government allows property rights to erode, then “the rest of our rights are meaningless.”
He said legislation is require to “fix problems” that suggest companies with enough money “can get what they want.”
Resident Mike Hebl said prices offered by governments for land varies far too much.
“Land is equal value no matter which city is buying,” he said.
Kaufmann said the reason for condemning land for projects meant for public benefit is equally important to the price.
“It should be a clearer process,” he said, adding that he is “optimistic” that the legislature will pass a “historic eminent domain bill” toward this end.
When the RICL gets its hearing, it will also ask for the authority to exercise eminent domain proceedings. That is, if the IUB deems the project a public benefit, it then could grant RICL the power of the courts to acquire land assuming they pay fair market value.
Resident Rod Hanson said eminent domain laws ought to not only force governments, or authorized companies, to pay a fair price, but to pay a bit extra because a home may have sentimental value, like a home passed down from parents to children.
Clean Line said the Rock Island project represents an investment of $1.7 billion, will lead to $7 billion in wind farm investments, create more than 5,000 construction jobs and more than 500 operations jobs.
“The Rock Island Clean Line is an important infrastructure project that would enable Iowa to significantly grow the wind industry in the state,” read the statement.
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